School’s out for summer! But learning never stops, does it? Even if you are off to the beach for a little R&R, you can stay current on all the latest trends in career development by tossing one of these page turners into your bag. Read all five of them by August for extra credit!

1. The Ultimate Camp Counselor Manual: (How To Survive and Succeed Magnificently at Summer Camp) by Mark Richman

Be the star pupil of your counselor orientation this summer by doing your homework. Learn that you need to know about being a great summer counselor from this fact-filled book that covers everything from discipline to motivation and more.

2. Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer: How to Win Top Writing Assignments
by Jenna Glatzer

Always dreamed of seeing your name in print? Check out Jenna Glatzer’s step-by-step how-to book for earning top dollar by writing for magazines.

3. Survival Kit for Overseas Living, Fourth Edition: For Americans Planning to Live and Work Abroad by L. Robert Kohls

Are you ready for the adventure of a lifetime? Living and working abroad is an incredible, life-changing experience, but it does take some planning. Robert Kohls’ common sense guide is a great place to start this exciting chapter of your life.

4. Walt Disney’s Imagineering Legends and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park by Jeff Kurtti

Nothing says “summer” like a trip to the theme park… and it doesn’t get more themed than the original Disney World. Five decades ago, Walt Disney utterly transformed outdoor entertainment from seedy traveling carnivals to the get-away destinations now known as theme parks. If you’ve always dreamed of landing a job at a Walt Disney resort, spend a few hours boning up on history of these groundbreaking parks.

5. I’m on LinkedIn, Now What??? A Guide to Getting the Most Out of LinkedIn by Jason Alba

No matter what kind of job you are in the market for, you have to know how to network. And in today’s world, that means social networking sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and even Twitter. Learn more about making the most of your online presence with Jason Alba’s definitive guide to LinkedIn.

What’s on your must-read list for this summer? Spam us with the book titles and share the wealth of knowledge!

Welcome to the Wednesday hot jobs post! Are you a regular of this feature or a newbie? If this is your first time at Hot Jobs day, let me welcome you! I’m glad you made it here.

Every Wednesday, I tell you about three of the hottest leads for jobs over at our JobMonkey Job Center. Don’t know what the Job Center is? That’s JobMonkey’s free resource for job seekers, with hundreds of job openings posted every day, from every imaginable field and in every state in the union — and many countries abroad, too.

This week, I’m focusing on the fun jobs at amusement parks and theme parks. Many people think of theme park jobs as part-time gigs for college students home on break. And while there are plenty of those opportunities (including a couple in today’s Hot Jobs posting), amusement parks hire full-time employees, too. Not all parks are open year-round, but those that are need staffers out in the park and behind the scenes in the “back office” to make sure the operation is running smoothly. If you want to learn more about working at this “thrilling” field, be sure to check out our section on Theme Park Jobs.

1. Water Quality Technician, LEGOLAND California, Carlsbad, CA

This is one of those year-round, full-time jobs I was telling you about. The job doesn’t have much to do with theme parks, other than the fact that you will happen to work at one… but what a cool setting for a not-so-theme-park-y job! Legoland is seeking a technician to remove, install, repair, and test all water treatment and filtration systems within the park. This includes keeping chemical balance in pools and lakes at safe health standard levels and performing other maintenance functions as required. The ideal candidate will have knowledge of the practices, tools, and equipment used in water filtration and treatment, and have experience in the basic practices of plumbing, and PVC piping application and installation.

2. Ride Attendants Job, Pacific Park , Santa Monica, CA

Now here is a more typical amusement park job! Santa Monica’s Pacific Park is seeking ride attendants (pay is $8/hour). The ideal candidate is out-going and friendly. You must smile a lot and be willing to go the extra mile to ensure that guest have a great time! You must also be able to follow operational procedures to ensure guest safety.

3. Costumer and Wardrobe Positions, Sesame Place Langhorne, PA

Would you like to work where sunny days keep the clouds away (if you don’t get the reference, this may not be the right job for you!), Sesame Place is hiring wardrobe and Costumer positions. No experience required for wardrobe jobs; costumer must have background and past experience.

Good luck with your job search this week! I hope you find the opportunity of your dreams.

Welcome to Hot Jobs Wednesday. As you probably know by now, each Wednesday I post three of the newest, hottest jobs listed at the JobMonkey Job Center. 

If you are looking for a job, the Job Center is a great resource. We have thousands of job openings, updated daily. The best news is that it’s completely free for job seekers to search for jobs on the Job Center. So why not make it your first stop in the morning?

In today’s Hot Jobs announcements, we’re featuring theme park jobs. From ticket takers to performers to ride operators to marketing managers, theme parks offer a wide variety of employment opportunity. With summer approaching, a number of parks are looking to step up their employee pool in order to accommodate the influx of guests. If you’re in the market for a summer job, theme park work is a great opportunity. Learn more about the field from the JobMonkey section on theme park jobs.

1. Supervisor of Education (Tours), Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay, Tampa, Florida

Busch Gardens is seeking a tour education supervisor with a BA in marketing/communications, education or related field. The position will be responsible for providing leadership and direction for the park’s new fee-based guest experiences including tours, interaction programs and keeper experiences. The supervisor will also assist in training and evaluating seven full and part-time staff, and be responsible for balance the department budget. The ideal candidate will have at least five years of post-college work experience, and preferably eight to ten years, including work with an AZA and/or accredited animal facility. Other qualifications include excellent presentation skills, superior supervisory skills, effective staff development skills, and familiarity with Microsoft. The position pays an advertised salary of $21.16-$26.45 per hour.

2. Entertainer Jobs, Sesame Place, Langhorne, PA

Sesame Place is looking to hire summer entertainers for its Langhorne, Pennsylvania park. Auditioned positions are dancers, actors and entertainment hosts. Non-auditioned positions are for theatrical services technician, costumer, and costume technician.

3. Admissions Attendants, Pacific Park, Santa Monica, California

Pacific Park in Santa Monica is looking to hire seasonal admissions attendants to assist guests in purchasing ticket, utilizing coupons, and receiving their complimentary wristbands. Candidates must be able to communicate effectively with guests. Attendants will also be responsible for handling and counting cash and tallying reports. The position pays $8 per hour.

Good luck with your applications!

Every Thursday, the JobMonkey blog answers your burning questions about your job search. In past weeks, we’ve talked about negotiating a salary offer, pursing a nursing career, and supporting a laid-off spouse. Do you have a question for the JobMonkey? Send me an email or leave me a note in the comment section.

Dear JobMonkey,

Hi! I am a 17 year old high school student from Germany. I want to work at Disney World this summer. What do I need to do to get a job at Magic Kingdom?

Thanks,
Greta

Dear Greta,

I have to tell you that we get a lot of letters like yours. Most of them have come from European teenagers like you, who are interested in working in the United States for the summer.

Funnily enough, Disney World seems to be the place of choice — not that I can blame any of you. It definitely seems like a magical place to work!

So here is the deal with Disney World (and Disney Land, don’t forget about Southern California’s Disney theme park!). Most of the jobs at Disney are similar to the ones at just about any theme park – food and beverage, attractions, custodial, front desk, guest relations, grounds maintenance jobs, and merchandise sales.

Disney also has a handful of uniquely magical jobs, including Imagineering jobs, Disney Catering and Disney Convention Services, Creative Entertainment, and Adventures by Disney Tour Guide jobs. Most of these jobs are not seasonal, however, so you should focus on the first set of traditional theme park jobs.

Despite the U.S. shrinking economy, Disney is still hiring in abundance for the summer of ’09.

And the good news for you, Greta, is that Disney parks are also continuing their tradition of recruiting non-U.S. citizens. Disney officials spend several months overseas identifying, interviewing and hiring seasonal theme park staff. Recruiters are typically dispatched to South Africa, Eastern Europe, Indonesia and the Philippines.

If hired, Disney will procure your short-term J-1 visa work, which allows you to work in the United States for up to four months — perfect for a summer job. Disney employees not only earn a salary that can be as much as 10 times higher than average salaries in their home country, but they also receive health insurance benefits for the duration of their contract.

Resources:

>>To learn more about the recruitment process, check out this JobMonkey interview with a theme park recruiter.

>>You might also want to read this interview with a past Disney intern, another great way to get your foot across the Magic Kingdom threshold. Here is more information on the Disney Career Start Program, which is specifically for high school seniors and recent graduates. (College students should check out the Disney College Program.)

>>To search for current Disney job openings, visit the Disney Corporate site.

Hope that helps you get started, Greta!  Good luck in making all your dreams come true this summer.

Welcome to Hot Jobs Wednesday. Each hump day, I’ll be helping you get over the mid-week lull by spotlighting three of the hottest jobs on the JobMonkey job boards.

To find more job opportunities, visit our free boards. In the meantime, here are three great positions you may be interested in:

#1. Assistant Garage Mechanic @ Glacier National Park
Remember the definition of Green Careers that we talked about on Monday? Blue collar work in a green setting? Well, here’s a job that fits that bill: Montana’s Glacier National Park is looking for an assistance mechanic. This person will assist the garage manager in maintaining and repairing the park’s vehicles and snow removal equipment. Qualified applicants must have a high school diploma, possess knowledge and experience in vehicle maintenance and be able to lift at least 50 pounds. If this sounds like a great opportunity to you, send your resume and cover letter to the Human Resources Department of Glacier Park Inc.

#2. Performers/Dancers/Singers @ Busch Gardens
Working at Busch Gardens may not be like a Disney World job, but this fun Florida theme park is actively looking for talented dancers and signers to perform at the park. Auditions are being held in Tampa, making this a great opportunity for local talent. For more information, please visit www.buschgardenstalent.com.

#3. Audio Designer @ Rockstar Games
Rockstar Games is a Vancouver, British Columbia company leading the field of video game development. Rockstar is looking for a Senior Audio Designer, who will create and refine audio assets for PS3/360 development. The person will be responsible for content creation, as well as the optimization and technical integration of assets. A background in programming is required, along with at least one year of professional experience as a sound designer or audio engineer in gaming. Rockstar also wants a self-starter, who doesn’t require a lot of supervision. Do you fit that bill? If so, be sure to apply directly through Rockstar Games.

Good luck with your job search this week!

What’s that they say about Disney World?  That it’s the place where dreams come true? Well, for some of you die-hard Disney fanatics (I’m looking at you, so don’t bother hiding your Snow White costume from me!), a job at Disney might be the ultimate dream come true.

Disney is located in five countries, with two to four parks at each location.

There are plenty of places to work, but could you land one of the coveted jobs? Aside from the run-of-the-mill-theme-park jobs (like food and beverage, custodial, guest relations, maintenance, and merchandise), Disney also has a few unique opportunities that deserve some explanation.  Let’s take a look at five of these magical opportunities and see if one of them is right for you.

Imagineering Jobs
You know the look, the feel, the magical spark that makes Disney what it is? That doesn’t happen by accident.  It is, actually, the job of a creative team of Disney Imagineers.  The Imagineers are charged with designing the attractions, shops, dining locations, show sets, real estate developments and new media technology project.  Imagineers even oversee the visual impact of Disney cruise ships. To land one of these coveted jobs, you really need to be a jack — and master — of all trades: architecture, engineering, mechanics, animation, story boarding, writing, set design and more. A great way to get your foot in the Imagineering door is with a Disney internship (see below).  In addition to education and experience, there are certain innate qualities Disney wants its Imagineers to possess as well; these include team work, perseverance, creative problem solving and, perhaps above all, patience.  After all, it can take as many as fifteen years for an idea to finally evolve into an installation at a Disney park.

Adventures Guide
As if five locations around the world wasn’t enough, Disney launched its newest venture: Adventures by Disney®.  It’s a group tour throughout North America and abroad led by tour guides — AKA Adventure Guides — who make sure that guests have the most magical time of their lives. Disney is looking for bilingual, well-traveled extroverts with a degree in communications, hospitality or international affairs.  Given the amount of walking Adventure Guides do, you might also want to jump on the treadmill before sending off your application. 

Disney Scientist
No, a Disney scientist isn’t someone who puts Mickey under the magnifying glass. Rather, Disney is looking for animal scientists to work with its Animal Programs department — think Animal Kingdom and Disney Wilderness Preserve.  Jobs include avian keeper, mammalian researcher, marine biologist and fish farmer. Qualified applicants hold at least a Bachelor’s Degree in biology or related major and have previous experience in a zoo or breeding program.

Disney Catering
You’ve got great attention to detail, impeccable cooking skills (a degree in culinary arts wouldn’t hurt, either) and a flawless service ethic.  Plus you love Disney.  If that describes you to a T, perhaps a career in catering for Disney is up your alley.  Disney Catering/Convention services serve up the finest food with a little touch of Disney magic.  The resorts have tens of thousands of clients each year, with millions of dollars riding on flawless catering and convention services.  Does that kind of pressure sounds like a fun challenge to you? Then you could consider a job as a manager of Disney catering. You’ll be working round-the-clock, but then I heard Cinderella did, too, before meeting her Prince Charming.

Disney College Internships
Are you a college student looking for a stand-out (and paid) internship? Do you want to gain transferable skills and some college credit? Are you outgoing and curious, eager to make friends from around the world and right down Main Street? Disney offers college internship programs in both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. You might be working in one of the four areas described above — or anywhere in the Disney theme park.  To apply for a college internship, go here. 

Do you dream of meeting your Prince(ss) Charming and running away from it all? While I can’t guarantee you true love, I can be sure that working for Disney will the most magical time of your life. 

What’s that they say about Disney World? The place where dreams come true?! I suppose for some of you, landing a job at Disney World — or one of the hundreds of other theme parks and amusement parks across the country — my well be a dream come true. There are myriad short-term and long-term theme parks jobs, with wide-ranging benefits, salaries and experiences. Learn all there is to know about working at the parks, getting your foot in the door and acing your interviews from Job Monkey’s section on theme park employment opportunities.